Christmas Is In The Air

December 19, 2018

Due to the lack of power we left before the break without an opportunity to properly connect. As the staff moved to the school we were deployed to there were expressions of disappointment. As a staff we hope you all have a lovely break, that you get the time to rest and re-connect with family.

Pancake Breakfast

As always our PAC put on a fantastic event! They started early in the morning and cooked up pancakes for 180 kids! Classes attended as groups and were able to enjoy their pancake, juice box and orange in the company of the Grinch!! When I walked into the gym to touch base with the students their jaws dropped…they thought I was the Grinch! If it wasn’t me was it the real Grinch????!

Concert

After weeks of practicing, Wix-Brown staff and students pull together a tremendous Christmas concert. Everyone dressed in their best and entertained a record crowd. Mr. Ablitt conducted the 4/5 choir and the 6/7 band. Ms. Osborn conducted the grade 3 recorder band, and the Ks, grade 1s, 2s, 3s
each sang a song or two to contribute to the production. A huge part of the entertainment was provided by Ms. Nast and Ms. Osborn who worked together to put on the skit “Gingerbread Christmas.” We had various intermediate students put their best foot forward to tell the story of a very special gingerbread man. To ensure everything ran like clock work Miss Hailey Cram and Miss Laurel Ellickson emceed the affair. It took and incredible amount of time and energy to put this together, and I am so grateful to have a community willing to work so hard. It was well worth the effort!!

Wix Trades

Throughout the first term we have had Mr. Brian Jackson, a trades teacher from D. W. Poppy, come to work with our grade 7s. They have had the opportunity to complete several projects and use different kinds of tools in the process. The most recent project will make a lovely gift for someone special.

APFL – Self-Reg

As you know we are working on improving our students’ ability to self-regulate. Our understanding is that if a student is more regulated they are more likely to engage in the learning going on in the classroom, ultimately improving their reading and writing. As you know we had staff and students complete a survey at the end of the term. The questions on the survey were focused on behaviours that reflect a student’s ability to self-regulate. They, teachers and students, had to indicate if the student needs support to demonstrate the behaviour, or if they can do it independently. To generate data that is accurately reflective of what self-reguation is and what it looks like in the classroom we are focusing our attention on our students’ capacity to be calm, alert and ready to learn. As it turns out 59% of our students need support to feel calm, alert and ready to learn. Moving forward we as a staff will be continuing to increase our understanding of self-regulation and how to best teach these skills in the classroom.

New Staff

I am happy to announce that when we return from the break we will be completely staffed. We have Ms. Inkster coming back from maternity leave on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Joining her is Miss Brittany McMillan, who will be in the classroom on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Up Coming Dates

+Collaboration Afternoon – January 14th (1:40 Dismissal)

+Langley School District Kindergarten Registration Opens Monday, January 21, 2019

All children who will be five years old by December 31, 2019 (children born in 2014) are eligible for the Kindergarten program beginning September 3, 2019.

Registration opens Monday, January 21, 2019 and will be open until noon Monday, April 1, 2019. All registration takes place at neighbourhood schools and is not available at the School Board Office. Registration is not available during spring break (March 18 to March 29).